


yakeno ga hara

by fuwaesthetic



Category: Tales of Xillia 2
Genre: 30 Day OTP Challenge, F/M, Fluff without Plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-19
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-02-18 00:58:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 4,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2329421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuwaesthetic/pseuds/fuwaesthetic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>the clouds are such a purple color that they look like they're burning</p><p>(a bunch of drabbles for the 30 day otp challenge (though this is more like "30 drabbles dumped at random points))</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 01/30; holding hands

”It’s just some silly superstition the older people of the village believe,” she mutters hotly, but her grip on his hand is still tight as she navigates an old path up the side of the falls. Ludger hums in acknowledgement, too busy trying to keep on his feet and not over any of the rocks scattering the path. Milla works the road as if she owns it and knows it — which, seeing as she lived in Nia Khera, he’s not surprised by.

The top of the falls are as beautiful as the bottom of them, and they take a moment to appreciate the breeze coasting along the water’s surface. Milla lets go of his hands to strip off her stockings and shoes; Ludger follows suit when she glances at him. He rolls his pants up, slowing to a stop as Milla dips a foot into the water; she steps into it after a moment with her other one too, the water reaching the middle of her calves.

"Hurry up. It’s not cold."

Neither is the snap to her voice, and Ludger finishes rolling his pants up so he can join her in the water. It’s cool and refreshing, and her hand slips into his again. Ludger watches out across the falls, the water rushing against the back of his legs, and glances at Milla — who seems to be thinking of something, her gaze settled not on the seafalls below but the curved mountains beyond it.

"…What’s the superstition say?" She jumps a little and his question, a small questioning sound of her own popping out with it, and he holds back a grin. She really  _had_  been thinking about something pretty hard. He repeats his question and she squeezes his hand; she’s facing forward, but he can see her watching him out of the corner of her eyes.

"Nothing really. Just that coming up here strengthens your bonds — or something like that."

He tilts his head at her and she scoffs, pink flooding her face. It’s easy to see in the afternoon sun — he’s glad for it.

"Or  _something like that_. I just thought you’d want to see the view.”


	2. 02/30; cuddling somewhere

Every inch of skin that touches hers sends static through her nerves. It isn't much - feet brushing, fingers trying to find a place to settle and skirting past waists bared thanks to movement, her nose against his chin - but it's enough to keep her on edge. Elle's curled peacefully between them, breathing slow and even, and Milla idly pushes hair out of her face.

The thunderstorm pounding quietly against the window behind her is a firm reminder of why they're in the ridiculous situation of cramping into his bed; Elle shifts when thunder shakes the panes, and both her and Ludger immediately reach to comfort the young girl.

Their hands touch; Milla's jumps away, too warm and too fuzzy to do anything else, and Ludger pats Elle's shoulder softly until she settles down again. Both of them share a sigh, and he grins at her when he realizes it. Milla thanks the Four for the darkness, cheeks hot, and - despite the pound of her heart in her throat and in her finger tips - reaches over to flick his forehead.

"Go to sleep," she murmurs, and he replies with  _you, too_  before he shuts his eyes and adjusts himself into something evidently more comfortable. Milla watches the shift of his shoulders ease itself into a deeper rhythm and sighs. _  
_

His hair between her fingers is as soft as Elle's.


	3. 03/30; watching a movie

The more time she spends with Ludger and Elle, the more often she regrets declaring something or another. Tonight’s is that she doesn’t get scared by horror films - because she’s gone through worse, no  _thanks_  to someone - and Ludger’s found what he praises as the scariest movie he’s ever owned. Elle sits between them; it’s been her insistence that she also doesn’t get scared, she won’t have nightmares, and she’s  _old enough_  for this movie, so she should get to watch too.

(And of course Ludger gave in to  her; Milla had only sniffed and teased that she’d be crying before the end of it.)

Chills roll down her shoulders when the movies starts; the room’s darkness and lack-of a moon don’t help with the creepy factor, and she shifts closer to Elle. At least the young girl doesn’t mind or seem to notice — she’s leaning forward, eyes trained on the television ahead and hands fisting her nightgown. Ludger’s the same way, minus nightgown, and Milla has the oddest thought that they look like a father and his daughter.

The thought’s cut short by a sudden bang and she jumps, a small shriek pulling itself out from her throat. Both Ludger and Elle look at her - one a little smug, one curious - and Milla scowls, face heating up.

"I was  _startled_ ,” she snarls, and her two companions blink at each other before they nod and turn their attention back to the movie. Milla does the same, hoping her heart calms down within the next five minutes.

It happens a few other times throughout the movie and she ignores the snickering to the left of her every time, but she can’t ignore the television clicking off without warning or the silence that blankets the room afterwards. Elle slides off the couch, offering to go turn on the lights, and Milla slowly rises. Someone takes her hand and she nearly screams, biting back on it when the room fills with light and she sees it’s only Ludger.

He grins at her, and she squeezes his hand until her knuckles turn white.


	4. 04/30; on a date

Milla’s glad for the pink sweater she’s decided to wear out tonight; Elympian nights are colder than the ones in Nia Khera around this time of year, and the synthetic wool (while not as good as  _actual_  wool) is a welcome warmth. The wide neckline isn’t helping the chill stay off her shoulders. but she figures she can deal with it as long as the rest of her stays nice and warm. Her fingers curl into the long sleeves and she leans forward against the rail, staring out at Trigelph’s almost empty city streets.

The swings creak behind her as Ludger sits on them. She feels like he’s waiting for her to say something, so she turns around to face him and presses the small of her back against the rail instead.

"Thanks for taking me out."

His mouth drops a little - she feels annoyance rise and she opens her mouth to take it back - and he laughs, shaking his head.

"It was my pleasure, Milla." And he seems to mean it, too, like he means a lot of things he says to her — she turns her face away, annoyed at her own reaction, and glances at him out of the corner of her eye. Ludger runs his hand through his hair, smile fading off at the edges, and she wonders if he’s actually good-looking or if it’s the alcohol she didn’t even think of touching talking.

"I mean it," she finally continues, gaze not parting away from him this time when he looks up to meet it. She offers him a smile and steps away from the rail, choosing to sit in the swing beside him. It’s a little higher than his, obviously built for the older kids, but she’s still much too big for it. He is, too. "I had… fun. A lot of it." Milla pauses, yanking her sleeves down so she can grip the swing’s chains and lean back. "Probably the most fun I’ve had in a while."

"I’m happy to hear that," Ludger replies; there’s a hint of embarrassment and awe in his tone, and she tilts her head to frown at him. He grins at her and leans over, and her breath hitches when he goes a little too far and their lips brush.

She slips out of her swing and onto the hard ground, Ludger jerks himself out of his own to help her up, and she yanks him down when he offers a hand. He lands beside her on his side, wincing, and Milla laughs shortly at it.


	5. 05/30; kissing

His cheek stings. He looks at it in his bathroom mirror, listening to Milla slam plates and pots into cabinets. He doesn’t hear any break (a miracle) and only sees Elle in the living room when he finally peeks out. The young girl looks up from her spot on the couch, mouth downturned, and Ludger exhales slowly.

"Where’s Milla?" he asks, first, as he takes a seat on the floor in front of her. Elle looks at his room and he nods. "She’ll have to come out sometime, then."

"No I won’t," a voice calls from the other side of the door, and he twists just in time to see the door slide shut. Ludger stares for a moment, rubs the back of his neck, and turns to Elle.

"She’s really mad, huh."

"It’s because you kissed her," and her face scrunches up at  _kissed_ , like it’s something too gross to think about again, “without asking her.”

"The mood was right!"

Elle shakes her head, undeterred, and he listens for the fwish of his door opening again. It’s there, not a moment too soon, and Ludger feels thankful his back’s to it; it enables him to press a finger to his lips and for Elle to give a minimum amount of nodding in understanding.

He sighs, playing a little on dramatics; Elle tries not to smile while he starts and goes on, leaning back on his hands. “I just can’t help it, Elle. When you like someone, you just want to kiss them. And it really felt like she was saying for me to, like a  _hurry up before I change my mind_  kind of thing.”

"You should’ve still asked her," Elle replies too smartly for her age. Ludger watches the Milla reflected in Elle’s eyes hesitate at the door, then step into the room and make her way over. He shakes his head with another overdrawn sigh, looking at the ground — mostly to hide the growing grin on his face.

"You’re probably right. You think she’ll ever forgive me?"

"Maybe if you stop laying the dramatics," Milla huffs from behind him. She unbalances him with a bare foot against his forearm, and he’s left gaping up at her. She crouches down, legs firmly pressed together, and narrows her eyes. "… Sorry for hitting you," which makes his mouth pull down a little more, and gets her to raise her fist, "— although if you keep looking like that, I’m gonna take it back and really give you something to moan about."

When he closes his mouth enough to her liking, she sighs and rests her head on her knees. “I just,” she pauses, seeming to weigh the words in her mind, and looks away from him. “I wasn’t expecting it. How can you seriously expect me to take it well?”

"I guess I can’t," he mutters back, and grins cheekily when she looks back at him. "Can I ask for one now?"

"Kiss a mirror," she scowls back, and he laughs.


	6. 06/30; wearing each other's clothes

”It suits you! No, no, I really mean it, Milla!”

She frowns down at her attire, tugging at the untucked shirt. Leia giggles, dressed the same (though her shirt is appropriately tucked and her straps are also, appropriately, done), and sets her hands on her hips with an air of pride.

"Is there anything else in there? And what the hell do you mean by,  _it suits me_? These are Ludger’s clothes, they suit him.”

"I don’t know about that. He always looks a little out of place to me…" Leia turns to dig through his closet some more, yanking out some notably more casual wear with a laugh. "Hey, I found something other than work shirts!"

It’s pink, with a few pale stars on the left sleeve, and Milla immediately quells a laugh threatening to come up. In part because she doesn’t want to laugh at the incredible modeling pose Leia’s pulling with it, and in part because she hears Ludger and Elle’s voices rising from the apartment’s door. The two of them lock eyes, frozen as the sounds of groceries get dumped on the counters and tables, and the television fuzzes to life.

"Let me just get changed and I’ll start dinner," Ludger says, outside of his door. Leia jumps to changing her clothes, and Milla’s halfway through pulling the pale blue shirt off of her when Ludger steps in.

He certainly can’t be expecting two girls to be half-naked in his room; he yelps and shuts the door, and Milla feels her face grow hotter. Leia’s has to mirror hers in intensity, and they change back into their usual. The younger girl excuses herself when she bolts out of Ludger’s room, apologizing, and Milla covers her face with her hands.

Ludger peeks in, warily, and she turns away from him with a soft groan.

"Don’t ask. Don’t say anything. Just keep your mouth shut, Ludger Kresnik."

"You looked really nice," he tries, and she slams her hand into his shoulder when she turns around.


	7. 07/30; cosplaying

”You can’t go, Milla! You  _promised!_ ”

Elle’s hand grabs hers tightly and Milla fights back the blush that’s been trying to get on her face since the beginning of this venture. She doesn’t try to tug away - that’d only serve to upset her more - but she doesn’t budge when Elle tries to pull her back again. Ludger chuckles, pretending to adjust his mask in order to cover his mouth (and being painfully obvious about how fake it is), and she very maturely sticks her tongue out at him before she replies to Elle.

"That was before you asked me to do something  _that_  ridiculous with him!”

"It’s just a hug, Milla. You’re not allergic to hugs, are you?" Ludger asks, then gives a mock gasp and kneels down to eye-level with Elle. "What if she  _is?_ ”

"Then…" Elle frowns, finally letting go of Milla’s hand so she can cross her arms. "…the way you get over an allergy is by experiencing it a lot, right? All we have to do is give Milla a lot of hugs."

"That’s for phobias," Milla replies, crossing her arms, and Ludger smiles at her.

"I think it applies to allergies too," he chuckles, and she backs up when he advances towards her. Her face heats up bit by bit, and she’s a little angry that the character she’s costumed as doesn’t have a mask either. She finally feels the table under her hands and something twinge when he slips his arms around her waist. He sets his chin against her shoulder, eyelashes brushing her cheek when he glances at her and blinks. "… It can’t really be that bad to hug me, right?"

"It’s not," she mutters, and she watches embarrassment creep down his cheeks, past his mask and over his lips. She moves her hands up and rests her wrists on his shoulders, waiting until he’s adjusted himself to accommodate the extra leverage to crane her neck at Elle and scowl.

"Happy, you little gremlin?"

"I’m not a gremlin," Elle retorts, but she grins so wide Milla can’t help but give her upturned lips in return.


	8. 08/30; shopping

”We don’t _need_ more sweets for Elle to rot her teeth out on.”

"But just look at that face! She’ll be absolutely heartbroken."

Milla looks between Ludger and Elle — their faces are in similar begging looks, and she feels her resolve eroding under their stares. Elle’s the first to break, a grin shining through when Milla lifts her hand off of Ludger’s so he can put the tin of cookies in her basket. She hmphs as gald gets a quick exchange and they’re off to the next stop — the food shop proper. Stepping in is a mix of smells from baking bread and fresh produce, and Milla attends to the latter while Ludger and Elle drift around the shop. They return with two loaves of bread - and a muffin, the latter of which Milla graciously accepts and holds in her mouth while she picks out the vegetables.

Elle smacks her hands away from tomatoes - “We don’t need any of those, they’re gross!” - and she yanks the muffin out of her mouth with a sigh.

"I don’t care if you think they’re gross, Elle, I think they’re great. They’re my favorite fruit."

"Tomatoes aren’t a fruit," the young girl retorts, and Ludger admonishes her with a quiet _they are too_. Milla turns away from them, putting their quiet squabbling to the background of her mind as she picks and chooses through then, and finds a sour-faced Elle waiting for her and her tomato-grabbing ways. She smiles victoriously at her, placing them gently in the basket, and Elle turns her nose up at the action.

Ludger sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.


	9. 09/30; hanging out with friends

**side a // milla**

Hanging out with the women of their group always spells trouble. Milla crosses her arms as they talk, only half-listening to the conversation, and fixes them with a pointed stare when she hears her name - and Ludger's come up at the same time. Muzét's the first one to notice, laughing softly at her expression, and she arcs behind her to lay her hands on her shoulders. Milla's half disgruntled, half happy about the fact this dimension's Muzét doesn't hate her.

"You _like_ Ludger, don't you?" Never mind. This dimension's Muzét might hate her. Milla twists around, frowning, and Muzét laughs; she just slides her hands lower until she's hugging her (holding her in place), until Milla stops struggling and purses her lips in a pout instead. "Don't be so shy, Milla! Come on, come on. Tell us all about your adorable crush on him."

"It doesn't exist, for one." She's proud at how haughty she manages to sound. "For two, what would _ever_ give you the idea I like him or any of you for that matter, even the tiniest bit?"

"You're a lot more open around him," Elize puts in, a thoughtful air to her tone. Leia nods fervently, leaning forward with her fists pressed into her thighs.

"That's right! You smile more, you laugh more, you blush more --"

"I don't blush around him! I don't smile either, and I definitely don't laugh!"

"But you _do_ ," Leia stresses, and Elize nods. Milla feels Muzét do the same against the top of her head and feels like tearing her hair out. She definitely, most definitely didn't -- especially not around him, not around the person who _lied_ to her, who destroyed everything she had known.

(Even if she hadn't been happy, she had been **home**.)

"I don't!" she says, again, and watches Elize share a look with Leia. They look pitying, almost, and it makes her denials catch in her throat and makes her want to run. Just run, get as far away from all of this as possible. She doesn't move - her legs feel like they're tied down with rocks, and even shifting her feet is a chore - and she doesn't do anything but feel her heart sink further and further into her stomach as the conversation moves away from the topic and Muzét gently combs her fingers through her hair.

-

\---

-

**side b // ludger**

Hanging out with the men of their group never _usually_ spelt trouble, and yet tonight - with drinks on Alvin and the promise of fun - is nothing but it. Ludger's ears feel like they must be on fire with how hot they are as the party none-too-softly discusses the women of their group, and he splutters into his drink when Alvin turns to him and asks him what  _he_ thinks about them.

"They're--" he coughs, thumping his chest; Jude looks amused as he pats his back, and Ludger clears his throat. Right. "They're all very strong."

"That's not what we're talking about Ludger! We're talking about looks, personality. You know. In a _if we didn't have a bunch of other stuff to do, who would we date_ way?"

Ludger shakes his head, sipping his drink with a smile despite his unease. Jude looks strangely tense on the topic - he thinks about how it must be because of the prime dimension's Milla - and Rowen chortles softly, fingers resting against the table. Gaius, for his part, keeps his mouth set in a thin line, even though his eyebrows raise curiously.

"I think they'd look mad if they knew we were talking about them like this," Ludger replies, getting a sigh from Alvin and a small chuckle from Jude, and when he gets told to just answer the damn question -- he gets cut off.

"I believe he has his eyes set on the other Milla."

It's enough to make him jerk to face Gaius, who sips his beer as if he hadn't just said anything, and shakes his head. Maybe a bit too fast, because the older half of their group chuckles and he feels his cheeks heat up. Him and Milla -- him liking Milla -- well, maybe some, but there's no way he could -- not with Jude around, not with her, because of what he's done --

It's much easier to dismiss the idea than entertain it, at least in the company he's keeping.

"Oh, no no no. Not at all." He waves his hand with the motion, much to the amused - and, on Jude's end, somewhat tightened - looks of his peers. "Even if I did, she wouldn't feel the same way. I don't think she ever..."

He sits back, staring at the amber color of his beer, and pushes his hair back from his forehead. "I don't think she ever could."


	10. 10/30; with animal ears

By the time Ludger’s persuaded Elle that they don’t _have_ to do Elle in Wonderland again and that she can, in fact, go to sleep without a fourth rendition, Milla’s trying on the rabbit ears he’d worn for his costume. She studies herself in the mirror, flopping them back and forth with her hands, and jumps  _just a little and just because she’s startled okay_ when she sees Ludger in the corner. He grins at her, the edges of his eyes crinkling up in that way they do when he thinks he’s totally caught her, and she turns on him, fists at her side.

"Don’t say a word!" Her voice is a pitch higher than it should be and she clears her throat - much to the amusement raising his eyebrows. Milla stalks over - it creases a little - and grabs him by his stupid tie, pulling his stupid face closer to hers. "Don’t," she hisses, thankful she sounds normal-angry instead of you-scared-me-angry, "say a _word_ , Ludger.”

"You look cute," he says in direct defiance of her and she feels her face heat up. No, it’s not just feeling it; she can see it in his eyes, wide in surprise and total joy at the reaction he’s gotten, and she shakes her head until the ears fall to the floor, defeated. She moves away, tearing her fingers through her hair as if it needs it badly, and stalls when she feels Ludger place the headband back on her head. His touch is light against her hair when he’s drawing away, then light again when he decides setting his hands on her shoulders is going to help the situation. Well, maybe it does; she likes the warm contact on her bare skin, even if she’s reaching up to brush them off the second she admits to herself she does.

He doesn’t try to place them back, keeping them at his sides instead, and her chest squeezes uncomfortably.

"I told you not to say anything." It’s a little whinier than she meant it to be, but it’s true; she did, and he did anyway. He shrugs, that half smile he wears when he thinks she’s being totally hopeless about something or other curving his lips, and Milla huffs in reply.


	11. 11/30; wearing kigurumis

Milla is cute.

That’s the only thing Ludger can think about, watching her study the pajamas Elle’s convinced her to wear. It’s out of left field enough to make him turn away when she catches him staring and concentrate on finding the one the youngest of them got for him. He knows exactly what it is, but pretending he can’t find it in the bag of others makes it easier to knock the thought out of his mind before he gets knocked out in general. His fingers skip through the layers until he finds what he’s looking for, and by the time he pulls it out Milla’s turned away, talking to Elle.

They’re deciding, in stage whispers, if she should tuck all of her hair back or if she should keep some out. He gets the feeling if he gave input, they’d stare at him and pretend he hadn’t said anything anyway, so he keeps his mouth closed (for the moment) and slips into his own. He hears snickering while he buttons it up and when he turns, both of them are avoiding looking at him.

"What?"

"It’s nothing," Milla replies, but there’s a laugh in her voice that suggests otherwise. Elle’s not better, hands clasped over her mouth fruitlessly, and Ludger smiles for a second before he mimics Milla’s usual irritated face and heads over in the angriest way he can fake. Elle shrieks, content to play along, and pulls Milla away when Ludger tries to grab her.

Milla stumbles with an ungraceful squawk, falls over Elle, and turns onto her back just in time for Ludger to panic and do the exact same thing. She stares at him, eyes wide; he’s sure he must look the same, and the only thing that snaps him out of staring at her cheeks going as pink as the rabbit costume she’s wearing is Elle struggling between them. He sits up and helps her up, smiling apologetically, and she brushes herself off with a huff.

When he glances at Milla, she’s unbuttoning the pajamas with a scowl; it takes him exactly three seconds to realize she’s only got her underwear on beneath and another two (painfully long) seconds to turn away before she realizes he’s seen anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> milla has a cute pink bunny one, elle has a teddy bear, and ludger's is a siamese cat a la rollo. just so we're clear.


End file.
